Somaliland: Wadani Demands Release of Toghdeer Politician

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The opposition political party of Wadani has termed the midnight arrest of Burao based Toghdeer politician Guleid Dahir Samatar as abhorable.

In a press statement the party’s Shadow Auditor General Hasan Hussein ‘Oodyare’ said the midnight attack on the house of the of Mr. Samatar in Burao town by a contingent of the crack Rapid Reaction Unit-RRU of the Somaliland police and subsequent ransacking of the residence with sleeping children some now in a coma was an inhuman act meted upon the family.

Urging the government to face up to its error as per the arrest of the politician Mr. Oodyare said the honourable thing for the authorities was to release the Guleid Dahir an Ex-deputy governor of Toghdeer currently in detention in Mandera maximum security prison in Sahil region where he was taken immediately upon his arrest two nights ago.

According to Ifrah Diriye Buudle, the spouse of Ex-deputy Toghdeer regional governor Guleid Dahir Samatar, some of her children are undergoing medical observation in relation to injuries both physical and emotional occasioned during the brutal midnight raid at their house in Burao town and subsequent ransacking by RRU prior to the arrest of her husband.

Though the reasons behind the detention of the Toghdeer politician are yet to be divulged rumours circulating indicate connection with riots that took place in Odweine town that ensued after residents disputed a decision to bar a local councilor from addressing a public meeting chaired by presidency minister Hirsi Haji Ali.

The now in detention Guleid Dahir was in the news last week after a ministerial team dispatched to quell riots by Burao residents summoned him, Guleid, for questioning purportedly to assuage suspicions of his having organized and funded the demonstrations that ensued with a death and injuries after residents protested the replacement of regional Police commander Major Ilka’ase.